Just five days ago, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly was convinced a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah was near. Then Israeli forces killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Iran vowed revenge.

Smoke billows after Israeli Air Force air strikes in southern Lebanon villages, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, as seen from northern Israel, September 30, 2024. REUTERS/Jim Urquhart LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Monday said that all sides should seek de-escalation and a ceasefire after Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon,

BEIRUT—Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon, sharply escalating its offensive against the militant group Hezbollah days after killing its top leader in an airstrike in Beirut and heightening concerns of a wider war.

Israel sent soldiers into southern Lebanon, escalating its weeks-long campaign to degrade the Hezbollah militant group, and raising the risks of a wider regional conflict.

Israeli commando units made brief incursions into Lebanon in recent days, as signs emerged that Israel was preparing for a wider invasion targeting Hezbollah. Israel’s defensive minister said today that “the next stage of the war against Hezbollah will soon commence.